1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector fitting structure where multipolar male and female connectors are engaged with and disengaged from each other by sliding a slide member reciprocatively.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (kokai) No. 8-167635 discloses the conventional connector fitting structure where male and female connectors can be engaged with each other by sliding a slide member mounted on a hood assembly.
In the disclosed structure, the hood assembly is assembled to the female connector, provided with the slide member having a guide groove formed therein. In use, when sliding the slide member, then the male connector is drawn to engage with the female connector.
The female connector for engaging a plurality of terminals therein is provided with a hood for covering respective leading ends of the terminals. While, the hood assembly is provided with a flange to be engaged with the hood. By sliding the hood assembly to one direction while engaging the flange with the hood of the female connector, some engagement holes formed in the hood assembly can be engaged with engagement projections formed on the female connector, respectively. With this engagement, the hood assembly can be assembled to the female connector. During the sliding of the hood assembly, since some press plates formed on the hood of the female connector do press restricting parts of the hood assembly, which are disposed inside the flange of the hood assembly, the hood is interposed between each restricting part and the flange, thereby causing the female connector and the hood assembly from rattling to or poorly connecting with each other.
In the above-mentioned conventional structure, however, there is a case that the hood of the female connector is positioned inside the hood assembly due to the rattling between the female connector and the hood assembly. In such a case, the leading end of the male connector being drawn into the hood assembly may butt against the hood in the hood assembly. Consequently, there is caused a problem that a manipulating force required for fitting the female and male connectors to each other is increased to cause the difficulty or impossibility of fitting.